Trochu
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This webpage
about the Trochu has the
following section headings:
·
Farndale
family history and Trochu
· Trochu, overview
· Timeline of
Trochu history
· Bibliography
The Farndales of Trochu
The following
were associated with Trochu: Martin Farndale (FAR00571);
Catherine Jane Farndale (FAR00601);
Ruth Farndale (FAR00619);
William Farndale (FAR00647);
Alfred Farndale (FAR00683);
Martin Baker Farndale (FAR00911);
and Alfred Geoffrey Farndale (FAR00922).
Trochu
Trochu is a
town in central Alberta, Canada.
It is located 9 km north of Three Hills at
the junction of Highway 21 and Highway 585, in Kneehill County.
The town is named
after Armand Trochu, the settler who founded the St. Anne Ranch Trading
Company on the present site of the town in 1902.
Trochu timeline
1902
Armand Trochu
came to Calgary in 1902. He stayed with friends in the city and heard about
Alberta’s rich grasslands. While searching for an ideal site, he heard from a
native member of a survey crew about a lovely valley, not far from Three Hills
and near the Buffalo Lake Trail. Armand was drawn to the sheltered
coulee of what was to become known as Trochu, by the promise of “bubbling
springs that never went dry in the summer and did not freeze in the winter.”
The French
cavalrymen, including Armand Trochu at far left.
1904
In 1904 the de Beautrap brothers came to Calgary and visited some friends
near the new site of Trochu. They had also heard about the ideal ranch site,
and they decided to settle there. They bought their first land from Hiram
Letts.
1905
In 1905 Armand
Trochu returned to Alberta after a fund raising campaign in Freance,
with two officers, Joseph Devilder, and Leon Eckenfelder. The French
aristocrats formed the St Ann Trading Company, which was incorporated in 1905.
Dr Louis Sculier
arrived in the district at abou the same time and he
served the area as a doctor and interpreter.
The St Ann
Trading Company added a stopping place to the cluster of buildings, and it
served as a hotel until 1908. The building was used as a dance hall and the
music was supplied by Jack Ross, George Walker and Dr Sculier. The dances
lasted all night and the people stayed for breakfast.
1906
One end of the
room at the stopping place became the first post office, which was established
in 1906. In those days it was the post office that was first named, and it was
named Trochu Valley. Armand Trochu weas the first postmaster.
A creamery was
established with remarkably modern equipment for the time and operated for some
years until it closed in 1912. It was hampered by the lack of a railway at the
time and was unable to ship out its butter.
Frank Dorland
moved to Trochu Valley in 1906 from Horse Shoe Lake, and he became the first
blacksmith.
1907
Buildings were
built at a new site in 1907.
The first town
council consisted of Herve de Reinach-Werth (who was the first mayor), J C
MacGregor and J C Burns.
1909
Trochu 1909
1910
They were not
disappointed. Trochu’s enthusiastic reports soon attracted other French
settlers, including Ernest Frere who arrived
in 1910. Eventually the pioneer town of Trochu was born.
The Frenchmen
brought the first garden, grain and flower seeds to the area. They built all of
the first buildings, including a Stopping Place, the first Post Office, school,
hospital, Catholic church, and stores; and raised purebred horses and
cattle.
The large Ranch
house was built by Joseph Devilder.
Trochu 1910
1911
In 1911, the
Grand Trunk Pacific Railway surveyed a line to the east of this townsite, and
like so many other Alberta communities, the town of Trochu was moved to suit
the railroad.
Trochu 1911
1913
The Roach
Municipal District was formed in 1913 in honour of Leslie Roach, the pioneer of
Huxley.
1914
The outbreak of
the First World War ended the first era of Trochu’s history. Most of the French
officers returned to Europe and many never returned. Armand Trochu was too old
to serve, but was in ill health and he died in France in 1930.
Xavier de Beaudrap, Eckenfelder and Paillard were the only Frenchmen
to return to Trochu after the War, and the de Beaudraps
were the only French family to settle for the longer term.
1928
On arrival in
Trochu in 1928, Grace
Farndale wrote:
When we arrived at Edmonton, Alberta, which
was 100 miles from Trochu, it was even snowing more! Outside it was much
colder, somewhere below zero and after the hot train I found it very cold when
we alighted. We changed trains at Edmonton and boarded a smaller local train to
Trochu. It was getting exciting now; thoughts of seeing Kate
and family and brother George. Kate I
had not seen for 25 years, George had been over on a visit. Peggy and Alf would
be there. It was still snowing a little at Trochu and I was a bit dismal. No
one had been able to get to meet us and Martin got a taxi. It was below zero
and the roads were frozen hard. What a ride! Before we started Martin had taken
me to a hotel lounge to wait until he rustled up transportation. I felt so
strange. There were men sitting around and one spat into a spittoon which
rather disgusted me. They were dressed like working men in overalls and
windbreaks, no ties and had caps on. One of the men said there was a nicer
sitting room upstairs if I wished but I thanked him and said I was all right.
At last Martin arrived so he came on he had persuaded a taxi man to drive us.
1930s
1973
The Main Street
of Trochu in 1973
Bibliography